Does Your Home Inspector Have a System

Choosing a home inspector can be a nervous undertaking especially if you have no one to ask so as to get a referral to one. When choosing a home inspector try to find a home inspector that has system to what he or she does.

Most people have heard the horror stories of home inspectors that arrive late, are dressed like they just woke up or recently crawled out from underneath a car, and spend only 45 minutes or so at a house and claim that they are done. Often these inspectors use a sloppy hand written report and still leaves questions. I have read home inspection reports that provide little useful information.

When Habitation Investigation arrives for a home inspection, they arrive a few minutes early and wearing a pair of clean khaki pants, and a clean blue shirt. A tool pouch and computer are carried in to the home and set up in the kitchen where the notes on the home inspection will be entered into the computer and the reporting software. The home is then inspected in a sequence that aids in locating issues such as water leaks.

Habitation Investigation has a system and a sequence to the inspection process. The use of the computer and the report writing software allows for consistency and detail in the comments regarding the inspection findings. The report system also has the areas and systems of the house tabbed to ensure that each area is completed.

My typical home inspection takes 2.5 to 3 hours at the home to complete. After this time I will return to my office to place the digital images taken during the inspection in to the report. This makes the inspection report one of the most detailed around and the easiest to understand.

When searching for a home inspector be sure to select a person or company that has a system to help ensure consistent and high quality inspections. Finding a inspector that uses a computer and takes pictures as part of the inspection report also helps ensure that there is a system to the inspection process. There are several report writing programs available to home inspectors and are all decent. The biggest factor in if your home inspection experience will be positive or negative depends on the home inspector. It takes effort to do a thorough inspection, doing inspections is not a career for the lazy. Look for an inspector that has a good reputation, positive comments and a system to conduct the inspections.